Despite his image as a button-down Republican, House Speaker John Boehner walked to the brink of a dramatic and historic agreement to change the government's spending habits.
But as he twice approached a $4 trillion deficit-reduction deal with President Barack Obama that would have rocked both parties' bases, Boehner was reeled back in by his caucus' conservative wing. The muscular, Tea Party-fueled group not only forced him to abandon a "grand bargain" with Obama, it made him scramble Wednesday to secure the votes for a far more modest deficit-ceiling plan, which in turn is all but doomed in the Senate.
But as he twice approached a $4 trillion deficit-reduction deal with President Barack Obama that would have rocked both parties' bases, Boehner was reeled back in by his caucus' conservative wing. The muscular, Tea Party-fueled group not only forced him to abandon a "grand bargain" with Obama, it made him scramble Wednesday to secure the votes for a far more modest deficit-ceiling plan, which in turn is all but doomed in the Senate.
So, Boehner and Obama wanted a $4T reduction, and the Teabaggers forced him to present a $1T plan. Um, whatever happened to the whole "we are going broke, it is an emergency" theme?
Oh, and Rush Limbaugh apparently just said that the GOP would be playing into Obama's hands by passing Boehner's current bill.........so.......look for mass GOP defections while they get in line to blow El Rushbo.
1 comment:
Don't write off the Tea Party too soon, HM. I'm completely confident that these esteemed members of Congress will come up with, and pass, their own plan -- with bipartisan support yet today.
Post a Comment